Broiler and fryer unit



.Feb. 4, J. @HLWy ELL Erm. 2,230,268

'lsRoILER ma FEYER UNM' .Original ,Fiiked Ee'b. $15 3193?! :"Sheets-Sheet 1 iig. 5.

INVENTORS KENNETH LWOODMAN, WILLIAM J. RUSSELL.

Feb. 4, 1941. w. J. RUSSELL :TAL

BROILER AND FRYER UNIT original Filed'Feb. 13, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS KENNETH L.. WoaDMAN, Mgu

AM J. RUSSELL..

ATTORIM) Patented Feb. 4, 1941 UNITED STATES l PATENT OFFICE BROILER AND FRYER UNIT Original application February 13, 1937, Serial No. 125,598, now Patent No. 2,156,216, dated April Divided and this application April 22, 1939, Serial No. 269,388

4 Claims.

This application is a division of our application Serial No. 125,598, iiled February 13, 1937, resulting in Patent No. 2,156,216, dated April 25, 1939. That application describes and claims a cooking appliance comprising an open `top roaster and a heating unit mounted adjacent the top thereof, whereby the appliance may be used for broiling and frying.

The present invention relates to an electric heating unit, more particularly .to a removable broiler-grill or broiling and frying unit to be used within a roaster or the like, as described in the aforesaid application.

The invention has for an object to provide an improved heating unit of the character set forth.

A particular object is to provide a heating unit comprising an electric heating element and a heat shield which are readily detachable from each other.

These and other objects are effected by my invention as will be apparent from the following description and claims taken in accordance with the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application, in which:

Fig. l is an elevational and partial sectional view of the rack and heater unit embodied in my invention;

Figs. 2 and 3 are, respectively, a top view and a bottom view of the heater unit shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a perspective View of the structure shown in Fig. l with the heater unit in an inclined position and the tray member partially removed;

Fig. 5 is a perspective View of the heater unit illustrating the method of removing the heating element therefrom;

Figs. 6 and '7 are partial sectional views showing the rack and the heater unit in the roaster; and,

Fig. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary view of a fastening device employed in the heater unit.

Referring to Figs. l and 4, We show a rack comprising upstanding support members 2, and longitudinal base members 3. An olf-set portion 4 may be located at the upper portion of the upstanding support members 2 and may have a transverse rod 5 which may be used as a bail or handle for lifting and carrying the rack, rigidly attached to the ends of such portions and joining two end support members. Any suitable broiling tray or shelf 8 may be adjustably supported on serpentine tray supporting members 'l which may be rigidly attached to the inner side of the respective upstanding members 2. A bar 6 may be located intermediate each serpentine tray support andthe outward off-set portion landY may be rigidly attached to the upstanding support members 2 in any suitable manner.

A removable heater unit II, comprising a downwardly anged heat shield I3 and a heating element 2| may be swingably mounted upon the rack I, about one of the intermediate bars 6, by means of hinge portions I2. The hinge portions I2 may be located at one end of the heat shield I3 and may have located therein an L-shaped aperture which receives the intermediate bar 6, permitting the heater unit II to swing thereon. The other end of the heater unit is adapted to rest directly on the bar 6 at the other end.

The heat shield I3.may have la dished portion I4 therein with an embossed or rim portion I5 about the edge thereof. The top surface of the dished portion I4 of the heat shield I3 may be used as a cooking surface (particularly for frying) while the under portion of such heat shield may function as a heat reflector. An aperture I6 may be located in one corner of the dished portion I4 or in any other desirable position to permit the draining of excess juices from the cooking surface. As shown in Fig. 3, the aperture I6 is spaced from the heating element 2| so that dripping of juice or other liquid on the heating element is avoided. A handle I1 may be rotatably attached to the heater unit I I by means of a cylindrical collar I9 to facilitate the operator swinging the unit about the intermediate bar 6 or removing the heater unit.

The heating element 2| may be removably attached to the under portion of the heat shield I3 by means of a plurality of apertures 32 located at one end of said heat shield and a set screw I8, located at the other end of the heat shield 4and extending through the cylindrical collar I9. The heating element comprises a heating coil 22 and may be provided with a plurality of longitudinal members 23, and a plurality of transverse members 29. The heating coil 22 may be insulatedly attached to the longitudinal support members 23 by means of insulating grommets 24 which may be rigidly attached to the support members` 23 by means of auxiliary support members 25. The heating coil 22 may terminate in any desirable plug or attachment 28, which enables such coil to be connected to a suitable power supply, not shown.

The outside longitudinal support members 23 of heating element 2| may have extended portions 3| angularly displaced from the plane of such heating element 2|. These extended portions may engage the apertures 32 in one end of the heat shield I3 to aid in rigidly attaching the heating element 2| to such heat shield. An angular depending bracket 21 may be rigidly attached to the heating element 2| at the opposite end thereof and may have a threaded aperture therein which may engage the set screw I8 and rigidly attach the heating element 2| to the heat shield while the extended portions 3| are located within the aperture 32.

Set screw I8, which has merely the-lower portion thereof threaded, may be located within the cylindrical collar I9, which attaches the handle I1 to the rim portion I5 of the heat shield I3, and which has only an upper or lip portion 20 thereof threaded. Thus, when the set screw is not operatively associated with the angular bracket 21 of the heating element 2|, such set screw will slide freely within the cylindrical collar I9 without becoming disengaged therefrom. It is, therefore, obvious that set screw I8 may be removed from the heating element 2| without becoming disengaged from the heat shield I3, which, in turn ensures such set screw will not become misplaced or lost.

The heating element 2| may be removed from the heat shield I3 to permit the operator to clean the heat shield without injuring the heating element by backing off the set screw I8 with one hand, and as such set screw releases the angular bracket 21 the heating element 2| may be angularly displaced from such heating shield with the other hand as illustrated in Fig. 5. To remount the heating element 2| on the heat shield I3 the extended portions 3| of the longitudinal support members 23 are inserted within the apertures 32 and set screw I8 is run down into the angular bracket 21, pulling such bracket and the heating element 2| tightly against the underside of such heat shield. The heater unit II comprising the heating coil 2| and heat shield I3 may then be swingably mounted upon the intermediate bar 6 of the rack I by placing the L-shaped apertures of the hinge portions I2 about such intermediate bar. In such a position the handle I1 may be grasped and the heater unit II may then be swung outwardly until the outer portion of the heat shield I3 contacts the transverse bar 5. While in such a position the heater unit II will remain substantially in a vertical position. By grasping the handle I1 and swinging the heater unit II downwardly, such unit will rotate until the free end thereof will contact the second intermediate bar 6 and remain substantially in a horizontal position.

When it is desired to use the broiler or heater unit II for broiling or frying purposes, the rack I is located Within the roaster. The trivet rack 3B shown in Fig. 7 may be omitted at this time as it is used for other cooking purposes which need not be here considered. The heater unit II is then swung upwardly into its substantially vertical position. lIhe food to be cooked is placed upon the tray 8, which is located at the desired position upon the serpentine support 1. The heater unit is then lowered to its substantially horizontal position and the heating coil 2| is connected to a suitable power supply, not shown.

Grease spatterings while broiling will be avoided due to the location of the rack I within the roaster 31 and the presence of the heater unit II over the cooking material. The smoking which accompanies broiling will likewise be reduced due to the clearance between the heater unit and the familiar inset pan 38 which permits a small circulation of air.

To remove or inspect the broiled food it is only necessary to swing the heater member to its substantially vertical position when such food becomes readily accessible. The lower surface of the heat shield I3 will reflect a large portion of the heat radiated from the heating coil 2| and thus increase the operating efficiency of such coil or reduce the time required for a satisfactory broiling operation.

Whenever desired, the upper surface of the recessed portion I|| may be used as a grill or cooking surface upon which any desired material may be fried during a broiling operation without reducing the efliciency of such broiling operation. However, it is to be understood that the upper surface of lthe heat shield may be used as a grill or cooking surface without the need of a broiling operation being performed within the roaster.

It is, therefore, obvious that the broiler or heater unit II performs a dual function, namely, enables food placed below such unit and within the roaster to be broiled or browned, and enables food to be grilled or fried upon the cooking surface of the heat shield either simultaneously with such broling action or as a separate function of the unit.

It is, therefore, obvious that in utilizing a rack and heater unit as hereinabove described in cooperation with a roaster, such heater unit may be used for either broiling or frying' or both simultaneously, and the excess heat from the heating element of such heater unit may be used to pre-heat the roaster, eliminating such requirement before starting the use thereof as a roaster.

Various modifications may be made in the device embodying my invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, and we desire, therefore, that only such limitations shall be placed thereon as are imposed by the prior art and the appended claims.

What we claim is:

l. A heating unit comprising an open radiant heating element and a metal plate serving to reflect radiant heat from said heating element, said heating element being provided with a wire frame comprising a U-shaped member having two spaced projecting ends, said heating element being insulatedly mounted on said frame, said plate member having spaced openings in which said projecting ends are adapted to be inserted upon relative movement of the heating element and the plate member in a direction parallel to the plane of the plate member, and means for detachably connecting said frame to said plate member with the projecting ends inserted in said opening, whereby said heating element and said plate member may be readily attached to and detached from each other.

2. A heating unit as set forth in claim l, wherein said connecting means is spaced from said projecting ends and said openings.

3. A heating unit comprising an open heating element and a sheet metal member above the heating element for reflecting radiant heat downwardly, said sheet metal member having a right angle flange adjacent one edge formed with two spaced apertures therein, said heating element being provided with a supporting frame and being insulatedly mounted thereon, said frame having two spaced projections adapted to be insaid frame, said plate member having spaced openings in which said projecting ends are adapted to be inserted upon relative movement of the heating element and the plate member in a drection parallel to the plane of the plate member, and means for detachably connecting said frame to said plate member with the projecting ends inserted in said opening, whereby said heating element and said plate member may be readily attached to and detached from each other.

WILLIAM J. RUSSELL. KENNETH L. WOODMAN. 

